The Army is seeking public comments on a draft environmental impact statement it released Friday for its proposed retention of up to 6,322 acres of state-owned lands it uses for training on Oahu.
Leases begin expiring in 2029 at Kahuku Training Area, Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area and Makua Military Reservation.
According to the draft, Oahu training areas provide approximately 30% of the Army training land in Hawaii “and represent a substantial portion of the maneuver training land, located away from populated areas to ensure soldier and public safety, within the austere jungle training environments required … to maintain Army readiness.”
The state-owned lands include 1,150 acres at Kahuku, 4,390 acres at Poamoho and 782 acres at Makua that are used by the Army, Marine Corps and Hawaii National Guard. Without an agreement with the state, the Army loses it all. As tensions rise with China, the military is under pressure to retain the lands for training. But they are also negotiating at a time when many Hawaii residents and officials have been rethinking their relationship with the military — which leased the land in the 1960s for a mere $1.
The Army listed nine options referred to as “alternatives.”
Under alternative No. 1, the Army would retain all state-owned lands within KTA, Poamoho and MMR.
Under alternative No. 2 — which the draft said is the Army’s preferred option — the military would retain all state-owned…
